Richard Sherman talks trash; his dad just picks it up

Richard Sherman talks a lot of trash on the football field. Off of it, however, he appears to be a conscientious and reasonable adult. This aspect of the Seattle Seahawks cornerback can be traced back to a man who doesn’t talk trash – he just picks it up.

"People say, ‘Let your son take care of you,’" the elder Sherman said to the Los Angeles Times. "Yeah, but I’ve got a few years left until I retire. Why would I mess up my own retirement? Why should my son have to foot everything? I have a medical plan that will cover me. Why should my son have to pay my medical bills? It doesn’t make sense to me."

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Perhaps even more remarkable are the obstacles Richard’s father overcame to stand where he is today. When he was 14, he lost an eye to a go-kart explosion. He says he was never a gang member, but spent time with many of them, which resulted in being shot twice in the chest at the age of 18.

"My dad didn’t have an easy upbringing at all," Richard told the Los Angeles Times. "Just living with one eye is tough in its own right. But then all the adversity that came with it, it’s remarkable how far he’s come and how hard he’s worked. When I was young, I tried to drive with one eye closed just to see how hard it was. I can’t imagine going through that."

These days, Kevin is enjoying his son’s success on the football field and taking time to savor the proud moments that come as a father. After the Seahawks beat the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, he says he made sure to appreciate it.

"I sat there for a good 30 minutes after the game was over," he told the Times. "It was kind of a proud moment, you know? I had to sit there and gather myself, then I headed down to where the parents go."

While winning Super Bowl XLVIII on Sunday would be a tremendous ode to a father that continues to work hard for his family, Richard can be sure that he’ll make his father proud, no matter the result.